Tutela Custodiatur
by Katarena
Summary: "You must be Isaac." Isaac's shoulders prickle. He doesn't need to turn around to know who's standing behind him.
1. Chapter 1

**Tutela Custodiatur**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own anything.**

 _It's a warm night. He's just taking out the trash when he hears the voice._

" _You must be Isaac."_

 _Isaac's shoulders prickle. He doesn't need to turn around to know who's standing behind him._

 _He turns around anyway._

xxx

The roar pulls him out of a dreamless sleep; he stares at the blackened ceiling, heart hammering in his chest. It's a sound of fierce triumph and deadly intent and it reverberates through Isaac's body like thunder.

It's a long time before he falls asleep again. But he's thankful to be in his bed tonight, and not lying on a cold metal floor.

When he slinks downstairs to breakfast, he finds his father sitting at the table.

"There's a new Alpha in town." Mr Lahey doesn't even look up at his son; he just turns another page of the paper.

"What happened to the other one?"

"Dead."

xxx

Isaac knows there are only two ways to become an Alpha werewolf: you're either born with it or you kill for it. Apart from the Alpha - the _dead_ Alpha - there are five other werewolves in Beacon Hills, and they all go to Isaac's school.

Laura Hale was a born Alpha. When she returned to Beacon Hills, the first person she approached was Erica Reyes, a girl who suffered from epilepsy. The transformation was immediate and incredible: Erica lost her fragile shell and moved with the confidence and grace of a jaguar.

Then Erica took a liking to Vernon Boyd - at least, Isaac thinks Vernon's his first name. He's never actually heard Boyd speak. Boyd was lonely and was forced to keep to himself. Erica asked her Alpha to make Boyd her second Beta; the next day, Erica and Boyd walked side by side down the school corridors.

Then they found Laura's body. Or rather, two of Isaac's schoolmates found half of it.

The next day, the new Alpha makes his presence known to his new kingdom and Beacon Hills trembles.

Peter Hale gets down to business by forcing both of Laura's Betas to join him and by going after both of the boys who found Laura. It's obvious why Hale would go after one of the boys; if you want to make it obvious who's in charge in the area, who better to target than the Sheriff's only child?

Except something goes wrong. Only Scott becomes a werewolf.

Three days after being bitten, Stiles limps determindly into school, jaw clenched and face white with pain. He stays beside his best friend, as always, but Scott's anxious eyes and the way Erica and Boyd watch him warily make it clear that he isn't one of them.

Then there's the red wolf, Lydia, and her boyfriend Jackson.

The story soon spread: how Peter Hale had torn Jackson out of his car and slashed open his chest. How he'd stood over him, blood dripping from his claws, and promised Lydia that he would let Jackson live if Lydia accepted Peter's bite. How, while Lydia's bite was starting to heal, the Alpha had decided he might try 'two for the price of one' again.

Five Betas. Five suspects.

xxx

There was a precarious truce in Beacon Hills, a line that both the werewolves and hunters trod very carefully. When Laura was the Alpha, the line was thin but remained still nonetheless due to precarious negotiations between herself and Chris Argent, leader of the hunters.

But when she died, all bets were off. Isaac's amazed the Betas are still alive; perhaps he shouldn't be, considering Scott is dating Argent's daughter and Lydia is her best friend. He wonders if that's why Peter went after them in the first place.

The new Alpha is another Hale: Laura's younger brother, which makes him Peter's nephew.

A truce with hunters is unpleasant but necessary, as it maintains peace and stops bloodshed. Everyone in Beacon Hills is waiting for the outcome of the negotiations.

xxx

When the Betas finally show up to school, they don't have a hunted expression in their eyes anymore. They've lost that restless anger they carried around with them. None of them seems to stand out as the leader, but they're calmer somehow. They're no longer afraid.

All five of them still have yellow eyes.

xxx

Isaac plays lacrosse and every lacrosse player gets bruised. In fact, they're lucky if a bruise is _all_ they get. Isaac used to shrink into a corner to get changed before and after practice, but then realised that some of the other players were hurt almost as badly as he was and nobody looked twice at him. All right, Jackson does give him funny looks, but he doesn't think anything of it. Isaac knows he's quite skinny for a lacrosse player.

Then he notices Scott looking at him with a worried expression. Stiles is doing it as well. Before long, he's feeling the eyes of all five Betas on him when he passes them in corridors, sitting in front of them in class and even when they're eating lunch. There's always at least one of them at a table close to the one he's chosen.

xxx

He's locked in the freezer for four nights in a row.

On Saturday, his father forgets he's there and leaves him for the entire day. At least, Isaac thinks he forgets.

xxx

The next Monday, just after school finishes, he sees Jackson standing beside an expensive-looking car. It's not his silver Porsche; it's a sleek black car Isaac's never seen before. Jackson bends down and starts to talk to the person behind the wheel.

Isaac's not the only one curious about the car. Most of the other students are giving it wary but intrigued glances. They've probably all jumped to the same conclusion Isaac has: this is the new Alpha's vehicle.

He raises a hand to touch a bruise that's still healing on his face. It's a good thing he managed to cover this one right; this time, he wouldn't have been able to tell people that he fell.

He looks around for his dad's car, but there's no sign of it. He's just about to head into the actual car park to see if he can spot it when he notices Jackson is looking directly at him. The Beta jerks his head slightly in Isaac's direction.

 _That's him._

Isaac can't hear the words, but he knows that's what Jackson's saying.

The car door opens.

Isaac runs.

He should have known better. Everyone in Beacon Hills knows the number one rule about dealing with werewolves is to never run from them. If you act like prey, their instinct will be to act like a predator.

xxx

Isaac doesn't want to take out the trash. He really, really doesn't, but his father hurls a mug at him and he barely ducks it, shards of pottery falling all around him. So he gathers up the bags and takes them out to the bin. He's just put the lid on when he hears the voice.

"You must be Isaac."

Isaac's shoulders prickle. He doesn't need to turn around to know who's standing behind him, but he turns around anyway.

The Alpha is standing a short distance away from him. Everything he's wearing is black: black jacket, black T-shirt, black jeans. "My name's Derek Hale."

Isaac nods. He can't seem to find his voice.

"That's a nasty bruise you've got, Isaac. Where'd you get it?"

He opens his mouth to say _I got it playing lacrosse_ , the same way he always does. But then he remembers that werewolves are walking lie detectors, and lying to the Alpha is about as good an idea as lying to his father.

The expression on Derek's face says he expected Isaac to react like this. "Thought so. The Betas told me about you, Isaac. The bruises. The way you act around people in authority. The way you always smell of fear and pain."

"Nothing's going on - "

"Jackson told us, Isaac. He lives on your street; he knows what your dad's been doing to you." The Alpha's voice is as firm as a rock and his eyes are like ice. "And it's going to stop _now_." He takes a step forwards and Isaac can't help himself - he takes a step backwards. "You're coming with me, one way or the other. What's it gonna be, Isaac?"

 **To be continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **See Chapter One.**

Isaac hesitates just a little too long.

"OK, how about this? You either come with me and get into the car, or I carry you."

"You wouldn't." The words slip out of Isaac's mouth before he can stop himself. When he realises what he's done, it's too late.

xxx

Derek puts Isaac in the back seat of his Camaro, gets in himself and grabs hold of his prisoner before he can get out the other side. He locks Isaac firmly in his arms to keep him from escaping and addresses the person in the front. "Drive."

Isaac can't see who's in the driver's seat. He doesn't care who it is. He tries to wriggle free, but the Alpha holds him fast and says: "Easy. Take it easy. We're not going to hurt you."

"It's for your own good," the driver says as he starts the car.

xxx

Derek enters the loft with Isaac over his shoulder. Boyd walks in a little way behind them.

"Guess he didn't come quietly."

Isaac can't see Jackson's face from his current position, but he just _knows_ he's got a sardonic smirk on his face. He clutches the back of the Alpha's jacket as if it's the only thing keeping him from drowning.

"Hey, what the hell, Derek?" That's Scott, and he sounds horrified. "You said you were gonna retrieve him, not kidnap him!"

Derek walks over to a chair and carefully deposits Isaac into it. Then he backs away before turning blood-red eyes on Scott and growling; Scott flinches and bows his neck in submission. Isaac looks around him, heart racing faster than he thinks it has ever done before. Derek, Scott and Jackson are standing in front of the chair. High-heeled shoes clack across the wooded floorboards behind Isaac, making him jump. He knows its Lydia and Erica.

Isaac is literally surrounded by wolves.

When Scott dares to raise his head again, he says: "Derek, he's terrified."

"Aww, poor puppy," croons Erica as she steps around the chair. She puts a hand on her hip and grins at Isaac; her lips are painted a brilliant crimson. "He's _adorable_. Can we keep him, Alpha? I want to keep him."

Derek ignores her. "I meant what I said, Isaac. You're safe with us."

"What's gonna happen to me?" Isaac's voice is cracked.

"You're staying with us for the time being. Actually, you're staying until _further notice_ ," Lydia explains. "You probably don't know much about werewolf law, do you?" When Isaac shakes his head, she continues. "If a werewolf has reason to belief a human is in danger and can back it up with proof, he or she can ask the Alpha to put said human under the pack's protection until the danger's passed. If the human's a minor, under certain circumstances the Alpha can remove him or her from the current guardian until another person is found to take custody. And since you don't _have_ any other relatives..."

Isaac tells himself there is no way this can be legal. But even if it isn't, does he really want to go back to his father, knowing what's waiting for him?

He can't find his voice, so he looks at the floor instead.

"Great," Jackson says. "Now that's sorted, it's movie night."

xxx

Just like that, Isaac finds himself sitting on a sofa between two of the werewolves, watching an _X-Men_ film. He can't believe how normal everyone's acting; he takes popcorn when it's offered and says thank you, but it almost doesn't seem real. He can feel Derek's eyes on him, and Scott keeps a hand on his shoulder throughout the film. When Isaac looks at him, Scott smiles reassuringly.

The adrenaline is slowly draining from Isaac's blood, leaving him feeling sleepy. He blinks rapidly in an attempt to brush away the tiredness from his eyes.

Before long, he's asleep.

xxx

He nestles against the warm material beneath him. It's such a relief to be back in his own bed instead of the freezer; everything's so warm and comfortable, and...

Then it comes rushing back. Isaac sits upright sharply and looks around him. He's alone in what he thinks is a bedroom that's been darkened by the night. He's fully clothed, except for his shoes, and covered by a soft duvet.

What happened, where is everybody? Are they still in the loft?

The door opens suddenly, revealing a figure in the half-light. Isaac knows from experience that doors being thrown open means he's going to be hurt; he flinches backwards, pulling the duvet up to his chin. The figure turns on the light; when Isaac's stopped squinting, he sees the Alpha in the doorway.

"You OK?" Derek asks. Isaac nods silently in reply. He doesn't ask how the Alpha knows he's awake.

xxx

Next morning, Isaac finds a pile of clean clothes beside the bed, along with a towel. He showers, gets dressed and nervously heads down to breakfast. Derek is already at the table; he motions with his head towards the empty chair.

Over the next few minutes, the Alpha makes something very clear: he expects the same obedience from Isaac as he does from the Betas. Isaac is not a werewolf, but he is under the pack's protection and that means he is under the Alpha's authority. He will still be attending school, but he'll be coming back to the loft afterwards.

Derek drives him to school. Isaac can't help but look around anxiously as he gets out of the black Camaro.

The Betas are already there, waiting by the school doors. They enter the school together, Isaac firmly in the middle of them. They're sending a message, loud and clear: _do not touch._

When school ends, Isaac looks around for the black Camaro. Instead, he sees the Argents.

xxx

"You can't do this." Mr Lahey's face is twisted as he snarls in rage. "You have no right to take my son."

"Yes, I do," replies the Alpha, calm and deadly as a blade. "I have the right to take him under my protection; it's my duty as an Alpha. We know what you've been doing to him."

"Yeah, we found the freezer," Scott adds.

It's a standoff: Derek, Isaac and the Betas on one side with Mr Lahey, Chris Argent and his backup on the other. Allison is standing beside her boyfriend, making it perfectly clear whose side she's on.

"Wait. You actually went into my house? When did you do that?" Isaac asks, barely stopping himself from tensing at the look of pure fury on his father's face.

"We needed actual proof, so we broke in." Jackson sounds as if he's talking about a walk into town to get ice cream. "Course, we could have taken pictures of your back, but that would have meant asking you and you'd have said no."

"You thought nobody noticed the marks? The bruises?" Scott's angry now. He's glaring at Isaac's father as if he wants nothing more than to tear out his throat.

"Then you won't mind if we see them now." Chris Argent steps forward; with his silvering hair, quiet but stern authority and pale eyes, he looks every bit as wolf-like as Derek does.

They're in the open. There are people watching. Isaac doesn't like this at all, but if it's the only thing keeping him from going back to his father, then he'll do it. Although the Alpha will probably spirit him back to his place whether Argent agrees or not.

Isaac's face burns with shame as he pulls his hoodie and T-shirt over his head. The gasps coming from the crowd bring tears to his eyes, but he turns around and shows Argent his back.

There's silence. Then Argent says three words.

"Get the Sheriff."

 **To be continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **See Chapter One.**

"You OK, man?"

Isaac looks up at Scott. "I don't know." It's the truth; he honestly doesn't know what he should be feeling right now. "He wasn't always like that. And he's... he's still my dad."

"He wouldn't have stopped hurting you. You know that, right?"

Isaac nods.

Scott's the only member of the pack he doesn't feel jumpy around. He hardly knows anything about Boyd. Jackson is the king of the school and Lydia is naturally intimidating. Erica...Isaac wonders if Erica was always like this and nobody noticed because nobody bothered to know her. Maybe all it took was the bite to bring it out in her. He doesn't even know where to start with Derek. There's something wholesome about Scott; it's been a long time since someone has treated Isaac as if he's someone who matters.

xxx

He steers well clear of the Alpha for at least the first five days.

They make conversation whenever they're in the same room together, but Isaac mostly keeps to his bedroom. There are plenty of books and a spare TV, so he's able to keep himself entertained.

On the sixth evening, Isaac's flicking through channels when he suddenly feels lonely. He wants companionship, and it's an ache he hadn't even known was there.

He leaves the bedroom and slowly creeps down the stairs. There's a film on downstairs; Derek is sitting on the sofa, eyes fixed on the screen. Isaac slowly approaches, his shoulders so tense they are almost painful. He expects the Alpha to ask him what he's doing there, or what he wants.

Derek doesn't react.

Isaac sits down on the opposite end of the sofa and looks at the images on the screen.

When the film's over, he realises Derek's been waiting for this.

xxx

The Argents and the Beacon Hills pack have an uneasy alliance, but the same can't be said for others. The Argents aren't the only hunters out there and not everyone is as tolerant and willing to compromise.

Boyd bursts into the loft, screaming the Alpha's name. He's carrying Erica; she's moaning in agony and blood is dripping from her shoulder.

"She's been shot."

The only way to get rid of the wolfsbane in her system is to burn it out of her before it reaches her heart. Boyd and Isaac hold Erica down while Derek holds a blowtorch to her wound. She screams and howls, bucks and twists against the hands restraining her.

Derek starts to growl low in his throat. The sound seems to calm Erica; her eyes close and she visibly relaxes as the healing kicks in.

Boyd and Isaac sigh in relief.

xxx

It's the full moon.

The pack has gathered in the woods. When Jackson asks why Isaac and Allison have been brought along as well, Derek explains that not all of the Hale pack were werewolves; some of his family were humans and they accompanied the rest of the pack on the full moon.

Both humans look away as the pack undresses. Moments later, the air echoes with howls that are carried on the wind.

Isaac's not remotely surprised to see Derek is the only black wolf. It's obvious which one is Lydia; she's not called the 'red wolf' just because of her hair. Her fur is a pretty cinnamon colour and her frame is smaller and slighter than most of the others. Isaac guesses Erica is the other smaller wolf, and Scott is the dark brown one. The two bulky wolves have to be Jackson and Boyd.

It's not long before Jackson's throwing his weight around. He might be able to do that in school, but Derek's clearly not having it here: one snarl and a flash of white fangs and Jackson's whimpering, exposing his belly. Even Lydia, one of the most strong-minded people in the school, seems to follow the Alpha's lead.

Isaac doesn't know whether to be impressed or terrified.

It's only now Isaac realises that although the Betas accepted Derek as their new Alpha, none of them were actually _bitten_ by him.

"That's not unusual," Allison explains. "You don't have to be bitten by that Alpha to belong to his pack. Omegas can even join a pack, if the Alpha's OK with it."

"Omegas?"

"Lone werewolves. Dad says they're rare because they hardly ever survive. The more werewolves there are in a pack, the stronger the pack is and their chances of survival are higher."

"Kind of like actual wolves?"

Allison nods, but before she can say anything else movement in the clearing ceases abruptly. There's a tension in the air that wasn't there before. Derek is sniffing the air, one paw raised off the ground. He growls once and lopes off into the night, most of the Betas following him. Scott moves to go with them, but the Alpha turns and looks at him, silently delivering an order. Scott obediently pads back to where Allison and Isaac are sitting and stands beside them.

When the other wolves are gone, Allison takes something out of her jacket pocket. It's a small crossbow.

"What is it?" asks Isaac. Scott whines, pacing the ground nervously.

Allison's dark eyes scan the woods, watching for any sign of movement. "Something's out there."

xxx

"We need to keep an eye out for a symbol that looks like this." Derek holds up a picture of a triskele. Isaac's seen something similar on the Alpha's back when he's getting changed, but where Derek's mark is flowing and spiralling, this one is sharp, jagged and dangerous.

"What does it mean?" asks Erica. She sounds as confident as ever, but Isaac can see the uneasiness in her eyes.

"When there's a new Alpha, other werewolves take notice of him or her. Omegas sometimes come to see if the Alpha will accept him or her, but other werewolves have...different motives. There's a pack out there that's made up entirely of Alphas."

"And the symbol means they're coming to pay a visit," says Lydia.

Derek shakes his head. "The symbol means they've already arrived."

"That doesn't mean they'll actually come here," Jackson blusters, but Scott cuts him off.

"There have been two Alphas in Beacon Hills in less than three months. Three Alphas, if you count Laura Hale. There's no way they _won't_ notice that." He looks at Derek. "What will they want?" He sounds uncertain, worried, scared.

"They'll want to test the new Alpha. See if he's got what it takes and if he deserves to lead a pack."

"And if they decide he doesn't?"

Derek doesn't need to answer.

Isaac decides to change the subject. "What was that thing you went after last night? Was it one of them?"

"No. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't a werewolf."

"And it's still out there." Allison's voice is quiet in the still air.

xxx

"Let me out! Let me out! Please!"

Isaac pushes frantically against the cold metal. He scrapes at the freezer walls until his nails are worn down and his fingers bleed.

"Why the hell would I do that? Huh?" His father bangs heavily on the lid, the sound making Isaac cry out and cover his ears. "You're just a stupid useless kid. You're nobody. You're _nothing_. Why would anyone even waste their time with someone like you?"

" _Isaac!"_

Isaac's eyes jerk open and he sees nothing but darkness. He's tossed around so much, he's become rolled up in his duvet. His face is wet with tears.

Above him, the Alpha's eyes glow like burning coals.

Isaac hides his face in his pillow and cries. He is out of the freezer, out of his father's house and he still feels every bit as worthless as his father said he was.

 _You're nobody. You're_ _ **nothing**_ _._

"Isaac." Derek shakes his shoulder again. Isaac doesn't respond. He just curls up in the duvet, unable to stop sobbing and bitterly ashamed. He doesn't want Derek seeing him like this. He doesn't want _anybody_ seeing him like this.

He finds himself being lifted effortlessly into a sitting position and settled against the Alpha's chest, his head resting on Derek's broad shoulder. An arm is wrapped protectively against his waist and a warm hand rests on the back of his neck. As his sobs gradually lessen, Isaac hears Derek growling softly to him; the sound rumbles through him and he knows exactly what the Alpha is trying to say.

 _You're safe. There's no need to fear. Be calm. Be calm._

When Isaac opens his eyes the next morning, the sun is shining through the curtains and onto his face.

 **To be continued…**


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Four**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **See Chapter One.**

Scott's the one who finds it.

The symbol is carved into the door of Derek's old home. None of the wolves have been there since Derek moved out and he hasn't been back himself for a while, so nobody knows just how long the sign's been there. The Alpha Pack could have been around for longer than they know.

Everyone's staring at the symbol when Lydia steps away from the group; she moves daintily around the small clearing, sniffing the air cautiously.

"It's that scent again," she says. "Whatever it is, it's been here."

"You sure it's not the Alphas?" Scott asks nervously.

Jackson quickly sets him straight. "Oh, wake up, McCall! You know what a werewolf smells like; this thing is not a werewolf."

"Right now we have bigger priorities," Derek says loudly. "And even if the Alphas have been here, we might not be able to track them down. Their human scents could be different from their wolf scents."

"But what if this thing is dangerous?" asks Erica.

"If it is," Derek growls, "we deal with it."

xxx

Isaac's confused.

He's known the Betas in the pack for a long time. They've all grown up in Beacon Hills; they've all gone to the same _schools_ together.

The Alpha's different. Isaac's known Derek for less than two months, but ever since he comforted him after that nightmare, Isaac feels like he belongs to the Alpha and that's just _crazy_.

Isaac is not part of the pack. Every time he reminds himself of this, it's like a pain in his chest. He's protected by the pack, but he's not one of them. He wants to be strong, confident. He doesn't want to be afraid anymore. But it's more than that. For the first time since his brother died, Isaac feels like he has something resembling a family, and he doesn't want that to go away. He doesn't want this to end. He doesn't want to have to go back.

But there's one thing he does not want to be to the pack, and that's a burden.

xxx

If Isaac asked Derek for the bite, would he give it to him?

Isaac wants to ask, but he doesn't know if he should. Maybe it's something that the Alpha has to offer to you, like Laura did with Erica and Boyd.

Peter didn't ask Scott and Jackson if they wanted to be bitten. He just did it, and he blackmailed Lydia into accepting it.

When Isaac brings this up with Derek one afternoon after school, Derek frowns and says: "The bite is a gift. It's not supposed to be forced on someone unless that person will die otherwise."

xxx

"What exactly were you and Stiles doing that night?"

Scott jumps and looks at Isaac. "What do you mean?"

"The night the two of you found Laura's body - what were you doing out in the woods in the first place?"

"Oh. We were there to see Laura; Stiles figured that if the bite cured Erica's epilepsy, it would do the same for my asthma. But then..." Scott looks down at the floor. "...we found her body and Peter Hale found us."

Isaac decides he's not going to ask for the bite. Derek's got no reason to turn him; he's got all the pack members he needs and Isaac doesn't actually _need_ the bite.

xxx

It turns out there's a lot more to Coach Finstock than Isaac had previously thought. For starters, he keeps the werewolves on the team and allows them to keep practicing with the others, but he won't let them actually play in any matches because the team will have an unfair advantage.

Not even Jackson flashing his eyes in a fit of rage or Scott's pleading expression will change his mind. The only way they can play in matches is if there are wolves on the opposing teams. Ironically, the one player Coach actually _wants_ on first line is the only one who's reluctant to do so. But it's clear that Stiles has no choice in the matter.

Days pass, and the threat of the Alphas lurks like a shadow in the minds of the pack.

xxx

Isaac is alone in the changing rooms. He's just finished putting his gear away when a hand grabs the back of his neck and slams him against the locker door. Fingernails dig into his skin, almost puncturing his neck. His breath catches in his throat and he doesn't dare move.

"Who are you?" Isaac is pressed against the metal by a powerful arm. "You reek of Alpha, but you can't be one. You're too small. Too skinny. _Who are you?_ "

"I know who this is." _Twins._ They have to be; their voices are too similar. "This is the pack's little pet - the guy they're protecting."

"Really?" The first voice laughs. "What, you can't protect yourself? Doesn't matter. We need to get a message to the pack. You'll do."

Claws burst into his neck. Isaac cries out; when his captor releases him and stalks away, he drops to the floor, hands pressed to the sides of his throat. Blood trickles through his fingers.

Hours later, he still can't forget what they said. He's the pack's pet, just the person they're protecting. There's no way he could be a werewolf.

He's nobody.

He's nothing.

How can the pack deal with the Alphas if they have to take care of him?

xxx

Isaac still has a key to his house. He lets himself in and pulls clothes out of his drawers, stuffing them into a bag. Every nerve at him is screaming that he's doing the wrong thing, but he's made up his mind.

He wonders how Derek will react when he finds the note Isaac left.

As he walks down the stairs for the last time, he wonders if the pack will come after him. He hopes they won't - they've got a much bigger problem.

He opens his front door - and freezes.

The woman smiles, her eyes glowing red. "You must be Isaac."

xxx

He's been shackled to the wall for hours now. His head lolls and he stares at the floor. Cold manacles dig into his wrists; tiny trickles of blood flow down his arms, adding to the stains that are already on his clothes.

At least one of his ribs is broken.

The door opens. Isaac slowly raises his head, bracing himself for the worst.

"Ever heard of Omegas?" It's Kali, the woman from outside his house.

"Yeah," Isaac croaks. "They're lone werewolves."

"No. You don't have to be a lone wolf to be an Omega. You know the one kid who always gets picked on in school? The one nobody picks for teams?" Her eyes glint sharply in the half-light and her smile is like a knife. "Every pack has one of those. Someone on the lowest rung of the ladder; the one who's always getting nipped and pushed around."

Isaac doesn't say anything. He just looks at her, waiting for what she _really_ wants to tell him.

"Gotta say, I've never heard of a _human_ Omega before. Even when there are humans in a pack, the lowest rung is still a wolf. Talia Hale's pack was proof of that." She takes a step closer to him. "You'd better hope her son's as good an Alpha as she was. But I doubt it. She wouldn't have let another were live unchallenged on her territory." Her claws come out with a _snick_.

Isaac closes his eyes in despair.

If Derek finds the note, there is no way he'll come after him because Isaac's asked him not to and if Derek doesn't come looking for him, he's going to fail the test because _that's_ what this is all about. If he fails, the Alphas will kill him and quite possibly everyone else in the pack and it's all Isaac's fault.

He's just doomed the pack.

His face is wet with tears. Minutes later, his clothes are wet with blood.

xxx

" _...Isaac! Isaac!"_

It's so dark. So cold.

He barely feels the icy floor as he's lowered onto it.

" _...alive? Derek, please! Is he a..."_

What are they saying? Someone's talking and they sound familiar, but Isaac can't hear what they're saying. And anyway, it doesn't matter now.

" _...oice. It's the only...don't, he_ _ **will**_ _d..."_

The darkness beckons. It almost feels like falling asleep.

His side is suddenly on fire with pain. Isaac bucks and he hears someone screaming. The sound is distant and it echoes as if the screamer is far, far from here. Then the pain fades away and the only thing he can hear is his own breathing.

Strong arms scoop him up just as he falls into unconsciousness.

xxx

He opens his eyes to see the loft ceiling above him.

"You're an idiot." Isaac sits up to see Lydia standing at the foot of his bed. "You thought you could just walk off like that?"

"I..."

"You thought we wouldn't come looking for you? You thought Derek wouldn't find you and drag you back, no matter where you went?" She folds her arms and smiles at him. "Accept it, Isaac - you're stuck with us. _Permanently_."

Isaac runs his hands over his body. There's no pain and he can't feel any scars under his clothes. He's completely healed from everything the Alphas did to him. And he can hear things like the conversation going on downstairs, and smell Lydia's natural scent under the perfume she's wearing. "Did Derek..."

"He gave you the bite. It was the only way to save your life. And he passed the test, but it was a very close call. His Royal Alphaness wants to have a word with you."

Before her last words have a chance to sink in, Isaac hears running footsteps. Scott bursts into the room, the other Betas close behind him. "Isaac!" He runs over to the bed, face and eyes radiant with relief. "Dude, you're awake!"

"Finally." It almost looks like Jackson's genuinely smiling.

"Thank you," Isaac says. "Thank you for coming to find me."

He's about to thank them for saving his life, but he sees the figure of the Alpha walk into the room. Derek doesn't have to say anything; he just looks at the Betas and they immediately leave in complete silence. Scott squeezes Isaac's shoulder before heading for the door. He shoots the older wolf an anxious glance in the process; Derek nods at him and closes the door.

Isaac bows his head. He's too ashamed to look at the Alpha - at _his_ Alpha. Everything could have been ruined because he was too stupid to stay where he was safe. All he can do is say how sorry he is.

"Derek, I'm..."

"Come here."

Isaac slowly gets out of bed. He forces himself to walk towards Derek. Each step takes every ounce of willpower he has and he keeps his neck bowed in submission.

After a few seconds that feel like a lifetime, Derek reaches out and takes hold of his shoulders. Isaac flinches, but Derek pulls him close. It's not just a hug; the Alpha's hands run up and down Isaac's arms, his throat and the back of his neck. He's being scented thoroughly and Derek is getting the message across _very_ clearly.

That doesn't mean there isn't a lecture. There is. It takes an hour, and Isaac knows he deserves every word of it.

He's pack. He always was, he always will be and he will never, _ever_ run away like that again. Does he understand?

"Yes."

xxx

"Do you think Peter would have passed?"

It's pack night. They're all in the loft eating pizza in front of _The Blues Brothers_ (Boyd got to pick) when Erica voices the question.

"No," Derek said flatly. "He wouldn't have wanted to appease the Alphas. He would have wanted to join them."

"How would he have managed that?" Jackson reaches across Isaac to get to the Meat Feast box.

"By killing all of you. An Alpha's power can be increased by killing one or all of his Betas; that's how the other Alphas joined Deucalion. He offered them the choice and they took it. That's probably why Peter turned Lydia and Jackson."

"What about us?" asks Boyd.

Isaac's barely listening to the conversation. He's thinking about what Kali said about Derek's mother.

 _She wouldn't have let another were live unchallenged on her territory._

What if she wasn't talking about the Alphas? What if she meant the owner of that strange scent that's been lurking about in the woods? Whatever it is, it can't mean harm because no bodies have turned up.

"He'd already forced you and Erica to join him; after he bit Scott, he had all the Betas he needed. Peter didn't have to bite three people. Just one."

Actually, Peter bit four people. The bite only worked on three of them. Too bad Laura didn't have the chance to help someone else...Wait a minute.

Isaac stops mid-bite.

What if she did? If the bite cures asthma and epilepsy, what else can it cure?

She was a new Alpha in the area. She needed to forge alliances, and not just with the Argents. Who better to offer the bite to than...

That's why Peter's bite had no effect on him. He was already turned. He just isn't a werewolf.

But if he's not a werewolf, what is he?

 **The End**

… **for now.**


End file.
